Breathalyzers

September 26, 2013

It's been a while since we reviewed any portable breathalyzers around here, but it looks like it's time for all that to change. We just found out about Breathometer, touting itself as the "World's Smallest Smartphone Breathalyzer." It fits on a key chain, the device plugs into the audio device on your iOS or Android device and measures your BAC through the use of a mobile app installed on the phone.

It'll cost $49.99 and you can currently pre-order through the Breathometer website for a ship date in October. According to the tech specs page on their site, it weighs less than an ounce, takes a AAA battery, and is calibrated to stay accurate for 250 tests at an accuracy of 0.01% BAC @ 0.02% BAC. No word on whether Anti-Beer Goggles functionality will be baked into the app at some point.

If you want to learn more, the product will be featured on ABC's show Shark Tank this Friday, and you can check out their promotional video and our favorite parts of their press release below.

July 19, 2010

We've encountered quite a few breathalyzers in our time (for testing purposes only, of course), and one brand we've seen good results with is Alcohawk. They're our industry standard for personal breathalyzers, and we find them to be consistent and accurate without much need for recalibration.*

The newest addition to the Alcohawk stable we've come across is the Slim Ultra, a pocket-sized contraption, which at only 1.7 oz is a pygmy compared to some of the breathalyzers we've encountered. It's designed for single-button operation and features a folding mouthpiece that really slims down its profile in your pocket or purse. It even comes with a few extra mouthpieces so your friends don't slobber all over yours.

* We use our breathalyzers for informative purposes only - we've said it before and we'll say it again...if you've had enough to drink that you think you might need a breathalyzer before you get behind the wheel, you've probably had too much to drive. Find another way home, you magnificently self-aware bastard you.

December 22, 2008

We're going to file this under "Why weren't we notified sooner," but this might be the coolest thing we've seen this holiday season. Imagine, if you will, a device you can plug into your iPhone or iPod that contains both an FM transmitter and a breathalyzer. No, this miracle machine isn't the product of some Utopian fantasy - it's available now, and you might not be able to get it in time for Christmas, but we bet if you order it now you'll be able to see delivery before New Year's Eve, which is when you really need it. Just imagine, if you blow in the breathalyzer and find you're a little too tipsy to drive, you can listen to your iPod through the radio transmitter until the cab comes to pick you up. Brilliant!

November 24, 2008

We've reviewed our share of breathalyzers in the past, but there's something about Alcohawk's PT5000 that really catches our eye. Maybe it's the giant LCD display that makes it easier to read when you can only peer through one eye. Maybe it's the fact it has an audio warning for those who are too bleary to see said display. Maybe it's the updated sensor that helps make false positives a thing of the past. But probably, it's the fact it looks like a tricorder from the old Star Trek episodes, and we're getting excited to see the new movie next spring.

July 30, 2008

We've covered a lot of breathalyzers in our time, but we're not sure we've seen one that looks quite as space-aged as the BacTrack. With its Bluefire sensor technology and the circular light ring display, it looks more like something Mr. Spock would consult before mind-melding somebody than a tool to keep you from getting a DUI.

We think it looks badass - we're just worried if we got one we'd start pretending it was a phaser. The last thing we need is to piss of a bouncer because we called him a redshirt.

June 11, 2008

Here's a weird little gadget being developed in (where else?) Japan - a teddy bear that acts as a GPS and breathalyzer. Apparently it uses some Tron-like robot technology from the future to be able to tell you about nearby landmarks as you drive, and contains a sensor in its neck that allows it to "smell" if you've been drinking and yell at you.

Our question is - if it thinks you're going to drink and drive, does it auto-dial 911 or does it continue to glibly tell you about nearby Chuck E Cheese restaurants?

October 22, 2007

We've covered quite a few breathalyzers here at Liquor Snob, and we're sure it can be quite confusing if you want to pick one up. We've rounded up all of our key breathalyzer coverage and product reviews to make your decision easier while you're shopping around.

Alcohawk Elite Breathalyzer Pro Package KitCurrent Price: $189.99Review Snippet: "We were impressed with how pimped out this thing was, with a blue LED readout and an internal thermometer to make sure your readout is as accurate as possible, not thrown off by temperature factors. The battery is good for 100-200 testings."Alcohawk Elite Review

Alcomate PrestigeCurrent Price: $139.95Review Snippet: "it's got a patent pending gizmo they call a "pre-calibrated alcohol sensor module," which you can replace on your own without the hassle of mailing the whole unit back. God we love progress."Alcomate Prestige Review

April 24, 2007

We have to admit, we've been on a bit of a breathalyzer (Amazon)kick lately, but hey, you never know when you're going to need one around. Dropping a little cake on one of these puppies might help you or one of your friends know when there's been a little too much celebrating going on, and it's a damn sight cheaper than the costs of driving drunk.

The latest breathalyzer we've discovered lately is the Alcomate Prestige, a handheld model that makes the claim to be law enforcement grade, which would imply it's very sensitive and accurate. One thing about most breathalyzers is they're so sensitive they'll get out of whack after repeated use, and you have to send the machine back to the manufacturer annually in order to get them recalibrated.

Not so with the Alcomate Prestige - it's got a patent pending gizmo they call a "pre-calibrated alcohol sensor module," which you can replace on your own without the hassle of mailing the whole unit back. God we love progress.

April 20, 2007

Check out this bad boy - an Alcohawk Elite breathalyzer (which we reviewed highly), but it comes in a sweet briefcase-looking thing. Now that's something we can see ourselves walking into the bar with before one of our trademark "long nights."

March 29, 2007

Sometimes what you're looking for in your breathalyzer is some portability. You want to make sure you're not driving over the limit, but you also don't want to carry around a box bigger than your cell phone to do it. That's where the PB2000 comes in - it's small enough to fit on a keychain, plus it's easy to use. You just blow - the light turns yellow if you're between .04 and .08, and red if you're above .08.

February 15, 2007

We've found another breathalyzer that's piqued our interest - this one is made by an outfit called AlcoScan. Their AL-6000 model reads blood alcohol percentages up to 0.40 in increments of 0.01%...we know from experience that point 40 is pretty durned drunk. The breathalyzer is sold as professional grade, which means...well, we don't know what it means but they also claim to be DOT approved and the unit comes with a leather pouch and a whole gang of mouthpieces. How can you go wrong?

December 29, 2006

With New Year's Eve rapidly approaching, 'tis the season to be thinking about how much you've had to drink before you get in the car. Actually, it's always that season for that, but you know what we mean. It can be difficult to know whether you're in the red zone and shouldn't drive, and there can even be situations where you're above the legal limit without even feeling much of a buzz. This is when a breathalyzer comes in handy, and if you're like us you'd rather administer it yourself rather than wait for a cop to do it.

We've been hearing a lot about the AlcoHawk Pro lately, and they've all been good things. We especially liked the notes over at Gizmodo and Uncrate, and we're hoping to get our hands on a Pro to test it ourselves.

July 12, 2006

We've always been big proponents of breathalyzers because they can give you a little bit of information about your BAC before you get behind the wheel. However, Sharper Image just had to pay over a million bucks in a settlement because their breathalyzers weren't quite as accurate as they claimed.

That's not saying pocket breathalyzers aren't useful - just take them with a grain of salt. Our old rule of thumb - use a pocket breathalyzer before getting behind the wheel. Our new rule of thumb - if we think we need a breathalyzer, we shouldn't be getting behind the wheel anyway. Why? Because the cops have breathalyzers that are VERY accurate.

Electronics retailer Sharper Image agreed on Friday to stop selling personal breathalyzers and pay $1.2 million in restitution as part of a settlement regarding the devices.
The company incorrectly claimed the "Digital Breath Alcohol Tester" devices were accurate to .001 percent blood alcohol content, according to tests by San Diego’s Consumer Protection Unit.

February 20, 2006

We're of Scottish stock here at Liquor Snob, so if there are two things we know about, it's drunkenness and sunburns. You've probably already guessed that our livers are pale and poxy, but you might not know that our skin is so fair that sun exposure has been known to cause us to burst into flames like a Guy Fawkes dummy. Finally the gods have smiled on us and given us a tool to monitor both our alcohol consumption and our intake of UV rays from our greatest enemy, the sun:

So you’re at your favorite sports bar watching the big game with your friends. Before heading out and driving home, perhaps it’d be a good idea to make sure you’re not legally intoxicated. At this point, it’s just a matter of whipping out the Alcohol Breath Test Pen, blowing into the top and hoping that the green LED doesn’t turn red. If it’s red, hail a taxi, buddy, because you’re in no condition to drive. Also included in the pen is a UV indicator, letting you know whether or not you should be wearing sunscreen. Yes, this $35 little pen can help save your life and prevent a nasty sunburn.